Frost
by Turtlegumtaker
Summary: Tino walked on. He walked on in hopes of finding what he needs most in a world covered by a blanket of snow. (Sufin. My first fic, hope you enjoy.)


It was too much.

The year was 2130. The world had been plunged into what feels like another Ice Age. The phenomena killed out most of the population. With no more people in the countries, the nations died as well.

Few survived. Tino wasn't even sure if any had survived besides himself.

It had hit the Earth quickly and unexpectedly, the Finn had simply woken up one morning and nearly the entire globe had been covered in a thick snowstorm. Where it was still too warm to snow, it stormed like no other. Tino was certain other nations had tried to make some kind of communication, like he had himself, but none had gone through.

The storm went on for months. From what Tino could distinguish from the haze and static of the radio signals, countries closer to the equator were doing the best. Meanwhile, All of Europe had been covered, quite literally, in snow.

Countries unfamiliar with snow, let alone as much was coming now, would surely have no chance.

What a bleak realization.

It has now been nearly two years since the storm erupted, and it is just now starting to subside. Within the span of those months, Tino had hidden away underground in what seems to have been a bomb shelter. The few times he had tried to exit the stone walls, the wind and snow was almost enough to slam the steel door back into Tino's face.

He opened the door a few centimeters, just enough to see through the crack into the world above ground.

Unsurprisingly, the ground was covered in snow.

But, the snow had stopped coming down. The cold wind still swept across the now barren trees, but no new snow fell from the overcast clouds.

Needless to say, Tino was shocked. He managed to push the snow, which was nearly 3 feet high around the door and higher in other places, far enough away so that he could open the door to get a better look at the landscape. Clad in several thick coats, hats, and a sturdy pair of boots he found in the shelter, he set off in the direction he knew would lead to the Finnish-Swedish border.

If there was one person Tino would need to get through this, it was Berwald.

As Tino trudged on, he let his mind wander to the fate of his friends. He hadn't let himself earlier, Tino wanted to keep as much hope as he could.

As he trudged mile after mile in the thick, unfaltering, plain white snow, Tino couldn't help but think of those who must have been lost to the storm.

The Italy brothers, Spain, Egypt, Turkey, they almost definitely had fallen to the cold's harsh grasp. They simply weren't as accustomed to snow as nations such as Russia are. Or, were. Tino couldn't be too certain.

He walked on.

The clouds were thick, enough so that whatever sunlight coming in was diluted to the point where it looked almost as if it was twilight. Then again, all Tino's clocks had run out of charge around two months ago. The chances of his guesses on the time being correct were slim to none.

He walked on.

Tino noticed how bleak everything looked. No leaves or pines on a single tree, no insects, birds, anything.

Tino had never felt more alone.

He walked on.

He passed what must have been a shelter for some of his citizens. Where the snow had slid away to fall over a now frozen lake, frozen cans, shoes, and clothing lay strewn about the ground.

He ignored the skeleton still half buried under the snow.

He walked on.

It was getting darker and darker for each passing minute. Despite his thick layers, the cold penetrated his skin and caused him to shiver and falter in his steps. If he didn't find shelter soon, the night would freeze him. He nearly passed by the tiny hole in the snow that led into a medium sized cave.

It would have to do. Tino curled into as tight a ball he could and fell into a dreamless sleep.

Tino woke up more exhausted than he had the night before. Even so, the thought of finding anyone to the west shook some energy into his cold limbs.

The thought of finding Berwald got him out of the cave and back into the snow-covered lands of what used to be the western half of his country.

To the Finns understanding, he now needs to head north to get to the southern-most part of his border with Sweden.

Nothing of significance made itself present as Tino walked through the barren lands, accompanied by nothing but his shadow and his trail of footsteps.

Hours pass. The land around him looked the same as it had for the past day and a half. Tino wordlessly hopes that he is close to the border.

Hills rolled up and away in front of him, but to the Finn's surprise, two trees stood at the peak. Truthfully, there were half buried in the thick, white fluff but it was a significant difference from the white expanse of snow he had been struggling through. He pushed his way up the hill as fast as he could with his aching limbs, to reach the peak and run his gloved hands over the cracked bark.

He contemplated removing the thick gloves to feel the tree on his own skin, but decided against it. The less skin he exposed to the temperatures, the better.

He turned to face the other tree only to have his attention snatched by something behind it.

Past the hill Tino was on and the smaller hill in front, there was a speck.

A blue, moving, definitely human, speck.

Tino's mouth hung agape in shock.

He wasn't alone.

Against his previous exhaustion, Tino dashed as fast as he could through the snow, down the hill, up the smaller one, to stumble to a stop atop it.

The other person has seen him. And was moving towards him, too, however slow.

Tino rushed down the second hill and saw the speck turn more and more human until he saw…

It was Berwald.

Sick, weak, frostbitten, and covered in snow.

But it was Berwald.

Tino let out a choked sob as he longed for the ability to run faster.

Berwald, in all his bear-like glory, was a mere 10 meters away.

In the last stretch of distance between them, Tino threw his arms out and jumped out at Berwald to throw his arms around him to make a hug forceful enough to throw them to the ground.

They sunk a few inches into the snow, but they didn't care. They were together again, despite the odds of one or both of them losing their lives to the bitter cold.

So there, in the soft snow, they lay together crying and laughing at the same time.

Tino and Berwald have enough to get by, as long as they have each other.

* * *

hey everybody! thanks so much for reading, this is my first fic so please let me know what you think!

-bec


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